monocyte
Sign in to saveMonocytes are a type of leukocyte or white blood cell. They are the largest type of leukocyte in the blood and can differentiate into macrophages and monocyte-derived dendritic cells. As a part of the vertebrate innate immune system monocytes also influence adaptive immune responses and exert tissue repair functions. There are at least three subclasses of monocytes in human blood based on their phenotypic receptors.
AI overview
Monocytes are a type of white blood cell that are the largest of their kind and play important roles in fighting infections and repairing tissue damage. They matter because they can transform into other immune cells and help coordinate both the body's innate and adaptive immune responses.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Key facts
- Cell.Name
- Monocyte
- Cell.Image
- Blausen 0649 Monocyte (crop).png
- Cell.Caption
- 3D rendering of a monocyte
- Cell.Image2
- Monocytes, a type of white blood cell (Giemsa stained).jpg
- Cell.Caption2
- Monocytes under a light microscope from a peripheral blood smear surrounded by red blood cells
- Cell.System
- Immune system
via Wikipedia infobox
Article
16 sectionsContents
- Structure
- Development
- Subpopulations
- In humans
- In mice
- Function
- Differentiation into other effector cells
- Specific functions of monocyte subpopulations
- Clinical significance
- Monocytosis
- Monocytopenia
- Blood content
- See also
- Further reading
- References
- External links
Monocytes are a type of leukocyte or white blood cell. They are the largest type of leukocyte in the blood and can differentiate into macrophages and monocyte-derived dendritic cells. As a part of the vertebrate innate immune system monocytes also influence adaptive immune responses and exert tissue repair functions. There are at least three subclasses of monocytes in human blood based on their phenotypic receptors.
==Structure== Monocytes are amoeboid in appearance, and have nongranulated cytoplasm. Thus they are classified as agranulocytes, although they might occasionally display some azurophil granules and/or vacuoles. With a diameter of 15–22 μm, monocytes are the largest cell type in peripheral blood. Monocytes are mononuclear cells and the ellipsoidal nucleus is often lobulated/indented, causing a bean-shaped or kidney-shaped appearance. Monocytes compose 2% to 10% of all leukocytes in the human body.